Full Description:While it’s a juxtaposition to be sitting
completely still staring at a monitor and at the same time feeling like you are going
200 MPH, that absurd sensation seemed to be the goal for the creative team behind the little goliath
series known as
Need For Speed. Since its conception way back in 1994 (was it really that long ago?), the NFS series has long been
giving all those bottled-up road-rage addicts an outlet to get their fix.
Need For Speed: Carbon is no different with even more additions, challenges and customizations than ever before. But it is the smallest incremental step forward in the series, feeling more like a rehash of
Most Wanted than a “start-from-scratch” production. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I really enjoyed Most Wanted and thought it was an excellent game, but because of the lack of innovation I wouldn’t necessarily call Carbon a break through title.
If you’re even the slightest bit familiar with Most Wanted you’ll be right at home with Carbon, not only from a control standpoint, but from a
story perspective as well. Carbon begins where Most Wanted left off.
Just in case you never finished Most Wanted I won’t spoil the ending, but needless to say you’ve made your way out of Rockport and into Palmont City, an overpopulated
racing town nestled “quietly” beside Carbon Canyon. The city is divided up into what are called “territories” and you will have to beat a handful of races within each of these to call them your own. But winning is only half the job because your territories can be challenged by rival racers. This is referred to as defending your territories and was probably my least favorite aspect of the game because it felt more like house-cleaning and a cheap way of milking hours. Thankfully, the game does give you an option to turn down
the races, although there is a chance you will lose the territory if you do so.
The main chunks of story are presented through hybrid sequences of live-action and CG. They are for the most part well done with a unique look and feel. As for the acting, I would say it was a noble effort but at moments you find yourself staring awkwardly into your monitor not quite sure whether you should laugh or ponder whether the game was trying to be serious. Another grumble would be that the antagonists are more irritating than threatening which actually ends up giving players some unintentional motivation to win just to get them off the screen. All in all though, EA keeps the story rolling forward at a steady pace and come to think of it, Carbon probably is one of the few games that acceptably pulls off live-action actors to tell a story.
But what about racing? Well, this is where Carbon’s high-gloss paintjob shines through. But before I get too excited let me first explain the major changes that were added to the series: the first and most significant change is the addition of a racing team. You don’t fly solo any longer. As you progress you are offered the option of hiring up to three additions other than yourself to your team: blockers, drafters and scouts. And this is how it works; blockers get in front of the specified car and cut them off giving you the chance to pass. Drafters on the other hand race in front as you wake in their draft gaining speed before you slingshot to the outside of them to take the lead. And last but not least, scouts are sent out ahead and look for unmapped shortcuts through back allies and roads to help give you the advantage. Your team meters work just like your nitrous meter. When the specified wingman meter fills up just hit the shortcut key and the corresponding team member will engage in their specialty. Surprisingly, your crew is fairly intelligent and there were a handful of races that I owe to them.
The races are set up again, much like Most Wanted’s with circuit races, checkpoint races, sprints, and a type of radar-clocked race where position correlates directly with collective MPH. Eventually, as you become familiar with the city, the game introduces a new type of race, drifting. Much like how Most Wanted brought you drag racing, Carbon’s drifting races are very complex and take place in the winding Carbon Canyon. The objective here is to drift as long and as close to the walls as possible without slamming into the cliff on one side, and flying completely off it on the other. At first, these are very difficult races. The control system and responsiveness is completely different than the street races, which results in about a 20 minute learning curve before you become competent enough to win the event. But those aren’t all the races that take place in the canyon. When challenging different crew leaders of opposing clans, you begin with standard street races before graduating to the canyon for a sort of mini-tournament. This is the least fun and boarder-line annoying part of Carbon. The object of the races is to remain as close to the leader as possible; the closer you are to him the more points you rack up. The second race is exactly the same but now he is chasing you. Sound slightly ridiculous? It is. The races not only rise in intricacy because of the track and the fact that you are now playing a mini-game of tag, but the A.I. is exponentially more difficult compared to that of the normal racers as well. With all of these aggravations rolled up into a single series of competitions just to beat one boss, the result is quite perplexing. I’m thankful those races are only a small portion of the game.
As far as the racing mechanics, sound design, and graphics go, this game is at the head of the pack. The production value is about as high as they get. Not only do the cars all handle differently from one another, but they also change with each unique upgrade as well. There is a vast selection of cars, each having a multitude of customizable options. From the brakes to the bumper, NFS gives you options on top of options; anywhere from make and model to the color and designs, your car will feel like your car. Sadly, you might find yourself showing off your polygonal masterpiece to your friends and gawkily referring to it as your “baby.”
The graphics themselves look extremely close to Most Wanted’s with a few slight tweaks and a couple of extra post-processing effects. The sound design is top-notch with each clutch shift and blow-off valve easily delivering movie-worthy eminence and heart-pounding satisfaction. In terms of music, Most Wanted had in my opinion slightly better tunes with more thumping tracks, but Carbon’s is still definitely enjoyable but it edges more towards rock. In the end, all of this combined into one package results in a visceral racing experience that will please almost anybody whether you like racing or not.
Gameplay: 8.5Even though you know NFS guarantees tested and proven gameplay mechanics, they are tested and proven successfully once again.
Graphics: 8.7Beautiful graphics but exactly the same as Most Wanted.
Sound: 9.2Absolutely remarkable sound effects and fast-paced, energetic music.
Difficulty: MediumFairly easy but gets hard quickly with the steep learning curve of draft racing.
Concept: 8.2The various types of races and the freedom of a wide open city to explore offer some fast and fun gameplay. The vast selection of
cars and parts combine to form a worthy and satisfying racer.
Multiplayer: 8.5Supporting up to eight players, Carbon delivers on all the essentials. It’s fast, fun and competitive. The only two modes are online pursuit tag and pursuit knockout.
Overall: 8.5Need For Speed lives up to its heritage staying at the forefront in the evolution of racing simulations. Although I wish there was more revolution I can’t deny its status of a rock-solid racer.
Download: 1.19GB
http://rapidshare.com/files/212453572/Need_For_Speed_-_CARBON_www.dl4all.com.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/212531441/Need_For_Speed_-_CARBON_www.dl4all.com.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/212571933/Need_For_Speed_-_CARBON_www.dl4all.com.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/212622683/Need_For_Speed_-_CARBON_www.dl4all.com.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/212837565/Need_For_Speed_-_CARBON_www.dl4all.com.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/212851555/Need_For_Speed_-_CARBON_www.dl4all.com.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/212639330/Need_For_Speed_-_CARBON_www.dl4all.com.part7.rar
Patch 1.4: http://rapidshare.com/files/213215024/NFS_Patch_CE14_www.dl4all.com.rar
